The heartbroken family of a cuddly four-year-old boy want this image to be shown to parents across the country in a bid to raise awareness of the cruel blood disease that stole his life.

Alfie, whose last name has not been disclosed, came home from his first day of school excited and full of beans, telling his mum he couldn't wait to go back.

But that same night he fell ill, developing a nasty-looking purple rash on his arm.

The youngster was rushed to hospital in his hometown of Plymouth, where his condition rapidly deteriorated and doctors had to resuscitate him twice. He was then diagnosed with meningococcal septicaemia, which is a severe blood infection. Devastatingly, Alfie passed away almost two weeks later.

GRAPHIC IMAGE WARNING: The parents of a little boy who died of a blood disease want others to see this picture in the hope it will raise awareness of spotting the early signs

Alfie's aunt Dani Lowther has now spear-headed an online campaign to spread the message about spotting the early signs of meningitis and meningococcal septicaemia, as well as to raise money for the little one's funeral.

“He loved Disney and Paw Patrol and he loved making new friends. He just loved people.”

Dani said Alfie had been showing signs of a cold, but had no other symptoms of a serious illness until his rash appeared. The parents, who don't want their names publicising, have now asked that the picture of Alfie seriously ill is shared with other parents out of chance that it saves other children gripped by the disease.

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“That evening he came home from school and he seemed to be feeling a little under the weather", Dani said.

“He was a little bit sniffly so when he went to bed his parents gave him some Calpol, as anyone would.

“He was sick in the night and was a bit sleepy. In the morning he had a purple rash so they phoned the ambulance straight away.

“They rushed him to Derriford [Hospital, in Plymouth] and took his mum and dad to the emergency room and that’s when they told them he was critical.”

Brave youngster Alfie died of a blood disease called meningococcal septicaemia

Alfie was resuscitated twice and doctors managed to stabilise him, before transferring him to a specialist children's hospital in Bristol the next day.

“They let his parents go with him in the ambulance but they warned us that he might not make the trip,” Dani said.

“He passed away 13 days later. They said the whole time he was critical but stable.

“There were some good signs. He was on life support but at one point they said his heart was functioning on its own.

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“We thought he was moving in the right direction but then his organs started to shut down.”

A JustGiving page has now been set up and has so far raised more that £6,000 to give Alfie a proper funeral.

Dani added: “We have had incredible support from all our friends and family but there have also been so many people who don’t know our family who have taken the time to read Alfie’s story and send messages to us or make a donation. We just want to say a massive thank you to them. It really means a lot.”

What are the early signs of meningococaal septicaemia

Meningococcal septicaemia is a blood disease similar, but not to be confused with, meningitis.

It is a bacterial bloodstream infection caused by Neisseria meningitidis, and can often affect babies or children.

When someone contracts the disease, bacteria enter the bloodstream and multiply, breaking down the walls of the blood vessels causing bleeding into the skin and organs, which is why symptoms can appear as a rash or dark patches on the skin.

Symptoms include the following:

Fever

Fatigue

Vomiting

Cold hands and feet

Cold chills

Severe aches or pains in the muscles, joint, chest or tummy

Rapid breathing

Diarrhoea

In the later stages, a dark purple rash

If you think your child may have symptoms of the diease, call 999 immediately.